Children of Zodiarcs is exactly how it’s described: a new Tactical JRPG with collectible cards and craftable dice combined with classic tactical gameplay, rich story, and memorable music. After an extremely successful Kickstarter, making over five times its original funding goal, and some assistance from the Square-Enix Collective, Children of Zodiarcs is finally in a playable state and nearing it’s release.

After a bit of time playing the current build of the game, I can say with some certainty that Children of Zodiarcs is a game SRPG fans need to put on their watchlist. It plays out like you’d expect, but with a few twists on the usual tactical flavor of gameplay. You can select your characters and direct them where to go and which way to face, but their actions are determined by what cards you currently have available. Move your unit adjacent to an enemy and select an attack card to initiate an assault, then watch as you can roll some dice to power up the action before it executes, leading to extra damage or even recovering HP. The cards and dice together add a staggering amount of depth to the usual formula this genre deals with, and allows for some unprecedented amounts of strategy. You can even customize what cards and dice you bring into battle as you collect them!

Aside from the gameplay, the game is graphically stunning. Each set piece is beautifully crafted and detailed, adding to the charm and style of the characters that act in them. Speaking of the characters, their designs are very well done too; You’ll run into several playable characters to aid you along your journey. Some are very deadly allies that you will be glad to have on your side as you face the game’s many challenges. Children of Zodiarcs is sure to be an RPG hit when it releases on July 18th.